The cannabis market is buzzing right now. But the recent rally in cannabis stocks has left some of the bigger names looking overvalued. For example Aurora Cannabis (ACB) - which has doubled year-to-date, is now facing a downside risk of 8% according to the Street. So with that in mind we focused in on stocks that still have massive upside potential ahead. We used TipRanks to focus in on the latest ratings from analysts with the strongest stock picking track record. Without further ado, here are three of the best cannabis stocks to be looking at right now:Aphria Has More Room to RunOver the last three years, Aphria (APHA) shares have exploded by over 850%, and according to the Street significant further upside potential lies ahead.That’s despite a horrendous 2018, which featured a hostile takeover attempt, the exit of its CEO and allegations from a short-seller that insiders profited from acquiring international businesses at highly inflated prices. This was the central accusation of a short report that roiled the stock price, and renewed concerns about the company’s corporate governance.Luckily the most serious allegations have now been refuted. A special board committee found that the price paid for businesses in Latin America was acceptable and that these assets are now progressing according to plan. And with newly-appointed chairman Irwin Simon now acting as CEO, short-seller Quintessential is appeased, tweeting: “With a new management team the company has a chance to a brighter future and we are accordingly moving on to new projects.” Simon is the founder, and former CEO of multi-billion company Hain Celestial Group.In short, this low-cost cannabis producer is ready to rebound. This is reflected by recent ratings from the Street. Most notably, top-rated Clarus analyst Noel Atkinson has just reiterated his buy rating on APHA with a price target of $19.25. This translates into sizeable upside potential of over 85% from the stock’s current share price of $9.63. (To watch Atkinson's track record, click here)According to Atkinson the company needs to stop looking back and start executing to move the ball forward. He believes Aphria’s list of near-term operational milestones is significant, and successful execution could transform the company both in terms of financial results and investor sentiment. “If management can execute, there is the potential for a very substantial re-rating of the stock price from current levels” the analyst tells investors.Overall, Wall Street’s confidence backing this cannabis stock is strong, with TipRanks analytics showcasing APHA as a Strong Buy. Based on 6 analysts polled in the last 3 months, 5 are bullish on Aphria stock, while only 1 remains sidelined. The 12-month average price target stands at $15.33, marking over 50% upside from where the stock is currently trading. (See APHA's price targets and analyst ratings on TipRanks)Zynerba Stock Looks Less FragileZynerba (ZYNE) focuses on transdermal cannabinoid therapeutics. Its goal is to improve the lives of patients affected by rare neuropsychiatric conditions including Fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. Currently the company is trialing a groundbreaking cannabinoid (CBD) gel. This is the first and only patented permeation-enhanced CBD gel for delivery through the skin and into the circulatory system.According to ZYNE, the gel offers multiple advantages when compared to the more traditional oral delivery. By skipping the digestive process, ZYNE can minimize psychoactive effects, limit drug-drug interaction, and avoid digestion of the drug by the liver.And for investors, now’s the time to start taking a closer look at Zynerba’s investing potential. That’s because this cannabis biotech is gearing up for a transformational 2019 according to five-star HC Wainwright analyst Oren Livnat. Today, Livnat reiterated his buy rating on ZYNE with a $23 price target, which indicates jaw-dropping upside of over 350%. (To watch Livnat's track record, click here)The key data to look out for comes from Zynerba’s lead Fragile X (FXS) program. ZYNE continues to enroll patients for the pivotal Phase 3 study (CONNECT-FX), and the all-important data is expected in 2H19. Livnat is optimistic for positive data, although he admits that this is a risky call given other companies’ failure in this indication.Livnat noted, "We reiterate our Buy, rating and see the current $105M market cap ($27M EV) leaving remarkable upside potential on positive data; as our $23 price target still reflects only a 35% probability of success in FXS.”Overall, this cannabis-related player stands as a 'Strong Buy' name among Wall Street analysts. In the last 12 months, ZYNE stock has won four 'buy' ratings vs. only one 'hold' rating. With a return potential of over 300%, the stock's consensus price target lands at $20. (See ZYNE's price targets and analyst ratings on TipRanks)Arena Stock Falls Under the RadarHere we have a promising biotech that is currently under-the-radar for most investors. Unlike Zynerba, Arena (ARNA) devotes some of its pipeline to CBD therapeutics, while also devoting some of its pipeline to non-cannabinoid medicine.This means that even though its most advanced drug currently in trial is Etrasimod (for colitis, Crohn’s and atopic dermatitis), for cannabis investors Olorinab is the key focus. Also known as APD371, Olorinab is an oral agonist of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), which is part of the natural cannabinoid receptor system found in our bodies. The drug is designed to treat pain associated with gastrointestinal diseases like IBS and Crohn’s- a large and growing market.And the best part is that these drugs could ultimately reduce the need for highly addictive opioid medications. As Bruce Yacyshyn, medical director at UC Health University Hospital, says: “There is a strong clinical need for non-opiate treatments for the management of chronic abdominal pain in patients with gastrointestinal disorders, including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.”As for the timeline, Olorinab Phase 2 trial in IBS pain is expected to begin in 2H19. Cantor Fitzgerald’s Alethia Young is keeping a close eye on these developments, writing “Over the next 12-18 months, we see opportunities like olorinab and etrasimod expansion as underappreciated at current levels. With many Ph2 and 3 trials reading out in 2020, we expect investors to take note, and we see little downside risk in the interim.”She reiterates her buy rating on Arena with a $62 price target- indicating 33% upside potential from current levels. Alongside Young, Needham’s Alan Carr is the only other top analyst who has published a recent rating on Arena. He also rates the stock a Buy, writing “we think olorinab remains an unappreciated potential opportunity with commercial synergies with etrasimod.”To read more on the nitty gritty of what’s going on in the rising cannabis industry, click here. More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Last Minute Thought: Buy or Sell Micron (MU) Stock Before 2Q19 Report? * Apple (AAPL): iMac Update Should Not Affect the Stock Negatively -- Here's Why * There’s a Lot to Like About AMD Stock, But Don't Buy Into the Google Hype * A Big Week for Cannabis Stocks as Tilray (TLRY) Posted 110% Revenue Growth

SAN DIEGO, March 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARNA) presented new Phase 2 data from its investigative drug candidates etrasimod, a next-generation, oral, selective sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator in development for the treatment of moderate to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC), and olorinab, a peripherally restricted, highly selective, full agonist of the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) in development for the treatment of visceral pain associated with gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, at the 14th Congress of European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (ECCO). "The new data presented from the Phase 2 trial of etrasimod demonstrate that both mucosal healing and histological remission were seen in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis following just 12 weeks of treatment," said Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet, MD PhD, Professor of Medicine and Head of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit, Inserm, University Hospital of Nancy, France.

Although the majority of U.S.-based cannabis companies and many foreign ADRs trade over-the-counter, a few marijuana companies are traded on the NASDAQ. Some investors prefer stocks that are listed on the NASDAQ to other exchanges due to their increased liquidity and tighter spreads than the OTC markets.

Last year was not kind to many biotech stocks. When investors abandoned high growth equities as the economy and market got rocky, biotech stocks were some of the first to go. This was especially true for many of the clinical-stage drug developers with no actually marketed products under their belts. The equal-weighted SPDR S&P Biotech (NYSEArca:XBI) -- which has a high concentration of smaller biotech stocks -- managed to lose around 24% in 2018.Investors clearly were not willing to gamble on those smaller stocks that don't have revenues.But the new year is shaping to be a bit better for biotech stocks in general and those clinical-stage developers. So far, risk has once again returned to the menu and the effects of the government shutdown on the FDA are no longer an issue. Investors have once again taken a shine to early-stage drug developers. The XBI is up more than 16% year-to-date.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsAnd more gains could be in store for the clinical biotech stocks. * 7 Cheap Stocks That Make the Grade Even better is that, prices for many of the earlier developers remain below their peaks. This gives investors plenty of chances to snag-up some promising drug firms with some serious potential under their belts. But which ones to buy? Here are five clinical stage biotech stocks to buy today. Nightstar Therapeutics (NITE)One of the hottest trends in biotech stocks is gene therapy. There are thousands of diseases and disorders are caused by faulty genes. In a nutshell, gene therapy is fixing those problems by either adding new genes to fight faulty ones, replacing/editing missing/broken genes or actually "turning off" the genes causing problems. It's a major breakthrough and is just starting to get critical mass with the FDA and drug makers.On the ground floor of that is Nightstar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NITE). NITE's main focus is on gene therapies for patients who suffer from rare inherited retinal diseases that would otherwise progress to blindness. The biotech has several candidates in various trials. It's lead product targeting a condition called choroideremia begun enrolling for phase 3 trials. Choroideremia is a rare disease that has no current treatments. Data so far for NITE's work here has been more than promising and has received several fast-track FDA designations based on early data.But NITE isn't done yet.The clinical stage biotech stock's work on X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa -- another genetic eye disease -- has proven successful as well. Nightstar was successful in its "proof of concept" during the fall of last year. Phase 2/3 data is expected in mid-2019.Both of these as well as NITE's full pipeline of other therapies could be very fruitful for investors over the next few years. And that makes the biotech stock a big buy. Ra Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RARX)Clinical biotech stocks can win if they are able to offer something better than established treatments. That's exactly Ra Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ:RARX) bag.Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG) is a serious condition that progressively weakens muscles. It's rare and only around 60,000 Americans suffer from the disorder. The only drug approved to treat is the insanely priced Soliris. Soliris and its hefty price tag have allowed Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALXN) to reap billions in revenues. But that might end if RARX has its way.At the end of last year, RARX's lead therapy zilucoplan posted amazing phase 2 results for gMG. Digging into the data, Ra's drug was able to improve patients' quantitative MG scores by 6 points. Soliris was approved after improving patients scores by just 4.6 points. Now, that Soliris improvement was at a much great rate than those receiving a placebo, RA wasn't too far behind. What it really means is that RARX should be able to meet with the FDA to discuss the design of a phase 3 trial and work towards getting the drug approved.With a strong balance sheet and continued insider stock purchases, Ra Pharmaceuticals has plenty of potential to pay for that trial and actually see it to the end. * 5 Dow Jones Stocks That Will Lead the Market Higher For investors, with blockbuster replacement looming, RARX stock is alone biotech that shouldn't' be missed. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals (AUPH)Clinical stage biotech stocks tend to be gambles. That's sort of the situation with Aurinia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AUPH). A ton hinges on a late-stage trial reporting at the end of the year. However, it's a gamble that may be worth looking at.For AUPH, the mission remains to tackle lupus. Lupus remains one of the least understood auto-immune diseases. With lupus, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. That's pretty bad by itself, however, many people often develop lupus nephritis (LN) and succumb to life-threatening kidney damage. Aurinia is developing a compound called voclosporin works by inhibiting an enzyme that activates immune cells. Voclosporin worked amazingly in phase 2 trials and had a high rate of success for LN patients.Aurinia should wrap phase 3 trials for the drug and LN treatments at the end of 2019. If it hits, analysts now peg sales of the medicine to fetch around $1 billion annually. Naturally, investors have placed a lot of stock on the drug and AUPH's potential. If it hits, investors could be looking at huge blockbuster and a sharp increase in AUPH stock.And if it doesn't, Aurinia may be ok as the firm is developing voclosporin for various indications as well. But given the potential, the firm may be one of the best clinical biotech stocks to buy for a gamble. Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA)Partnerships can mean big things for clinical stage biotech stocks. A prime example is Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ARNA).For starters, ARNA has a rich pipeline of treatments in mid-to-late stages of trials. This includes drugs for Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, and IBS. That alone is worth the price of admission. But where Arena could be winning is in its drug Ralinepag. Ralinepag has been touted as potentially a best-in-class medicine for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension. So, naturally, any biotech firm that has drugs already on the market that could be threatened by the future blockbuster is willing to bend over backward to defend their position.And that's just United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) did by paying Arena $800 million cash up-front as well as up to $400 million in milestone payments and double-digit royalties on sales in order to license Ralinepag.For Arena, this is a win-win. They get cash to develop it and other drugs in their platform and still are able to share in the long-term success of the drug. For investors, this is a big win as well and shows that ARNA's management is thinking about the total portfolio and not just one drug. * 5 Big-Yield REITs to Check Out Now In the end, Arena should have enough money to make its pipeline a reality and get more of its drugs out to market. That makes the clinical biotech stock one to bet on. Galapagos (GLPG)When it comes to late-stage biotech stocks or really any drug manufacturer, pipeline means everything. It's what drives your valuation and future potential. Luckily for clinical-stage firm Galapagos (NASDAQ:GLPG), its pipeline is very robust indeed. GLPG has multiple late-stage programs as well as 25 different drugs in discovery/early trial stages. But what separates Galapagos is that that pipeline is actually churning out real results.Partnering with biotech-giant Gilead (NASDAQ:GILD), GLPG's Filgotinib is quickly becoming a winner and after impressive phase-3 data, the duo has moved closer to marketing the drug rheumatoid arthritis. At the same time, Galapagos has scored wins in cystic fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis and a fast-track designation for its osteoarthritis treatment.All in all, GLPG has many shots on goal to make it. That's very important to a clinical-stage biotech stock. And yet, last years rout of the sector sent shares of GLPG downwards and they've stayed that way. Today, Galapagos is still about 17% below its 2018 peak of $117 per share.Given its huge pipeline -- that is increasingly winning in trials -- that difference may not last long. When it comes to clinical stage biotech stocks, GLPG is one you must own.Disclosure: At the time of writing, Aaron Levitt was Long the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF -- which holds a position in GILD, ALXN, AUPH, GLPG, RARX, UTHR and ARNACompare Brokers The post 5 Clinical-Stage Biotech Stocks to Buy appeared first on InvestorPlace.

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARNA) today announced that Amit D. Munshi, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, will present a corporate update at the 8th Annual SVB Leerink Global Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 9:30 AM EST. A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available under the investor relations section of Arena's website at www.arenapharm.com. Arena Pharmaceuticals is driven to deliver novel, transformational medicines with optimized pharmacology and pharmacokinetics to patients globally.

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARNA) will present preclinical and early clinical development data from its investigative drug candidate olorinab, a peripherally restricted, highly selective, full agonist of the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) in development for the treatment of visceral pain associated with gastrointestinal diseases, at the Crohn's & Colitis Congress® in Las Vegas, NV.

Small-caps and large-caps are wildly popular among investors, however, mid-cap stocks, such as Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARNA), with a market capitalization of US$2.2b, rarely draw their attention from the investing
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Here's a roundup of top developments in the biotech space over the last 24 hours. No biotech stocks hit 52-week peaks Thursday. Down In The Dumps (Biotech stocks hitting 52-week lows on Jan. 24) Amneal ...

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Jan. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- United Therapeutics Corporation (UTHR) today announced the closing of the transactions contemplated by its license agreement with Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARNA). Under the agreement, United Therapeutics acquired exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and manufacture the Phase 3 investigational drug candidate ralinepag, a next-generation, oral, selective and potent prostacyclin receptor agonist in development for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Upon closing, United Therapeutics paid Arena $800 million. As previously announced, the closing of the transactions contemplated by the agreement was conditioned upon expiration or termination of the required waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, among other conditions.

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 10, 2019 / U.S. markets rose for the fourth consecutive session on Wednesday as minutes released from the Federal Reserve's meeting in December showed the Fed would ...

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARNA) today announced that Amit D. Munshi, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, will present a corporate update at the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at 8:30 AM PST. A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available under the investor relations section of Arena's website at www.arenapharm.com. Arena Pharmaceuticals is driven to deliver novel, transformational medicines with optimized pharmacology and pharmacokinetics to patients globally.

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARNA) today announced the appointment of Manmeet S. Soni as a non-executive director. Mr. Soni is a highly accomplished senior finance executive with extensive experience in the life sciences industry. "Manmeet brings deep financial and business expertise to the board, and we are thrilled to welcome him," said Tina Nova, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Arena.

“Value has performed relatively poorly since the 2017 shift, but we believe challenges to the S&P 500’s dominance are mounting and resulting active opportunities away from the index are growing. At some point, this fault line will break, likely on the back of rising rates, and all investors will be reminded that the best time […]

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / December 13, 2018 / U.S. equities closed higher on Wednesday amidst renewed hopes over the U.S.-China trade talks. According to a report in Wall Street Journal, China is working ...

In 2016 Amit Munshi was appointed CEO of Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ARNA). This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at companies of similar
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